China has introduced a revised visa application process for Indian travellers from Monday, October 26, under which its diplomatic missions will directly accept and process visa applications and consular legalisation requests, replacing the services previously handled by visa application centres in New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.
According to a notice issued by the Chinese Embassy in India on October 22, the embassy in New Delhi and the Chinese Consulate General in Mumbai will directly handle applications. Services falling under the jurisdiction of the Chinese Consulate General in Kolkata will temporarily be managed by the embassy in New Delhi.
The changes apply to Indian tourists, business travellers and other applicants seeking visas for mainland China.
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Under the revised arrangements, applicants must first complete the online visa application form through China's official Ministry of Foreign Affairs portal and upload the necessary supporting documents.
Once the preliminary online review is approved, applicants will receive an email notification. They must then submit their passports, application forms and supporting documents to the designated Chinese diplomatic mission within 30 days.
The Chinese Visa Application Centres in New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata have stopped accepting fresh applications from October 26. However, applicants who submitted documents earlier can collect their processed documents from the existing centres until noon on October 30.
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The revised system also specifies where applicants must submit their documents based on their state of residence.
Residents of Maharashtra and Karnataka must approach the Chinese Consulate General in Mumbai. Applicants from West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh must temporarily submit their applications to the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi.
Residents of all other states and Union Territories will also submit their applications through the embassy in New Delhi.
For consular legalisation services, jurisdiction will be determined by the place where the documents were issued.
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Under the revised arrangements, online visa applications submitted after 5 pm on October 23 will no longer attract visa application centre service fees.
However, service fees already collected for applications submitted before the deadline will not be refunded.
The removal of service centre charges does not mean Chinese visas will be issued free of cost. Applicants must continue paying the applicable visa fees prescribed by Chinese authorities.
The revised fee schedule for Indian passport holders includes Rs 2,900 for a single-entry visa, Rs 4,400 for a double-entry visa, Rs 5,900 for a six-month multiple-entry visa and Rs 8,800 for a multiple-entry visa valid for one year or longer.
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China has also outlined documentation and biometric requirements for visa applicants.
Under the temporary arrangements, applicants seeking short-term visas for stays of up to 180 days are generally exempt from fingerprint collection until December 31, 2026. However, the exemption does not cover every visa category, including certain long-term study, employment and family reunion visas.
Tourist visa applicants are required to provide financial documents, including bank statements covering the previous six months showing a consistent average monthly balance of at least Rs 1 lakh, or an eligible deposit certificate of a similar amount made at least three months before the application.
Applicants must also provide a valid passport, the prescribed application form, photographs and other supporting documents according to their visa category.
The Chinese Embassy has advised Indian applicants to consult its official notices and complete the online review process before visiting the designated diplomatic mission.
The revised arrangements apply to mainland China, while separate visa procedures remain applicable to Hong Kong and Macao.